Peocess of nitrating kekosene



Patented June 13, 1950 rial No. 47,747. 1948 1 Claim.

This invention relates to processes for treating hydro-carbons and particularly for nitrating kerosene.

Conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention it may be well to point out that crude oil distillates may be nitrated by concentrated nitric acid or by a nitrating mixture, in which operation oxidation products and in hot condition also carbonic acid are produced in addition to nitro-para-filnes. Monoderivates are soluble in the initial substance whereas dinitroand trinitro-derivates pass into the acid. The lower members of the parafiin series are liable to explode, in particular when heated. For this reason the said derivates have not been practically used up to now.

According to the invention it has been found that by a Simple nitration of kerosene in cold condition, wherein the kerosene is thoroughly mixed with a small quantity of concentrated nitric acid and then left standing for several days, whereupon it is drained off and washed by a weak solution of a base, an extremely well suited solvent and purifying agent is obtained, having a pleasant smell and adapted to be distilled without undergoing decomposition and even without the danger of explosion. Compared with the initial kerosene it has even a higher flash point and ignition-point.

An example of carrying out the invention in practice will now be described.

To one litre of kerosene having a boiling range of 100 to 350 C'., 3-5 cm. of nitric acid of a concentration of 40 to 45 B. are added. The obtained mixture is thoroughly agitated and left at rest for at least 7 days. During this time the surplus if nitrogenous and other free substances is separated, said substances being deposited at the bottom of the container. The crude nitrated kerosene is drained off into another container and washed with a 1% solution of sodium bicarbonate of which about one tenth of the Volume of the treated kereosene is sufiicient. The latter is thus freed from the remaining, still free notcombined nitrogenous substances, which pass into the aqueous solution, which after a half-hour In Czechoslovakia July 23,

Before After N itration Nitration Flash-point 67 72 Ignition-point 74 79 Specific weight 0, 8270 O, 8275 Having thus disclosed the invention in its preferred form; it is to be understood that there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

The process of nitrating kerosene which consists in thoroughly mixing from 3 to 5 cm. of nitric acid of a concentration of 40- to 45 B-. to one litre of kerosene having a boiling range of from to 350 C. at normal room temperature at atmospheric pressure, the leaving of the same at rest for a time interval to permit the nitrogenous and other free substances to deposit at the bottom and the draining ofi" of the remainder and washing the same with a relatively weak base solution.

FRED FIALA, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 559,783 Muller-Jacobs May 5, 1896 2,153,065 Martin Apr. 4, 1939 2,240,558 Ellis May 6, 1941 

